Churches Of Christ/no sleep

Questionhello, i am a 49 year old widowed mother of 2 teens. i work full time as a RN at a near hospital and have been there for 24 years. i have been a Christian since i was 23 years old, baptized into Christ then. I've had spiritual ups and downs like anyone, but i am faithful and am trying to raise my children that way.
here is the problem. about a year ago during the night someone would knock on my window 3 knocks to get my attention. my elderly parents live next door, occas during day they would do this to get my attention if they needed me when i worked nights (they had this strange deal of not wanting to walk into my house without my permission) and my phone was off in day so i could sleep. but then i switched to days and started sleeping nights couple of years ago with no issues. so when knocking would happen i would jump out of bed and go to door, no one was there, kids were asleep, no one around house. this would happen once or
twice a night occas. i finally figured it was a bird or house settling with temp changes. then the knocking started on the walls and ceiling. it would wake me up out of dead sleep many times a night, i was having a hard time resting. i started to pray during these times. i do not believe in ghosts and never have. things started getting worse than knocking. I'm embarrassed to write anymore to you as you are church of Christ born and raised like me. i cannot talk of this to my family or church because i know the teachings well here. but to a stranger this is a little easier. see, the knockings disturbed me, always the same number, but then my pillows on the bed would move when i was almost asleep, or my bed would sink down like someone just sat down. i would wake immed, thinking my kids were there and needed something, i would be confused when there was no one there. then i became scared. this stuff is impossible. i started praying and crying, event i would fall asleep. it got worse, something would shake my shoulder, or wiggle my foot, or nudge my knee and wake me up. when i started getting touched i still thought it was just my kids waking my up, again confusion when no one there. only one last thing to say before i end this was something that was screamed at me, when i had my pillow over my head trying to fall asleep one night. it came from the other side of my pillow, the voice was frightening.
I'm not on drugs, i don't drink. i don't have any mental illnesses.
thanks for reading. pat

AnswerSweet lady, I'm SO sorry to hear that you are experiencing these kinds of things.

First let me say that I have little experience in these kinds of things but I DO believe that Satan and his servants are alive and well and that what I'm hearing from you appears to be some kind of demonic presence. I don't believe in ghosts as scripture only leaves me with three possibilities. When people die they are asleep in the ground until Christ's return, or are in Hades, or are in Paradise. There is nothing from scripture that plainly indicates anything about ghosts except the human superstition that has always abounded. But there is much about demons.

Jesus said this about unclean spirits (demons) that are cast out.

Matthew 12:43 “Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it.

And look at a chilling exchange in Job from a Demon to Eliphaz.

Job 4:12-21 (12) “Now a word was brought to me stealthily, And my ear received a whisper of it. 13 “Amid disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falls on men, 14 Dread came upon me, and trembling, And made all my bones shake. 15 “Then a spirit passed by my face; The hair of my flesh bristled up. 16 “It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance;A form was before my eyes; There was silence, then I heard a voice: 17 ‘Can mankind be just before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker? 18 ‘He puts no trust even in His servants; And against His angels He charges error. 19 ‘How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who are crushed before the moth! 20 ‘Between morning and evening they are broken in pieces;Unobserved, they perish forever. 21 ‘Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them? They die, yet without wisdom.’

I would suggest fasting and praying and rebuking it in the Lord's Name like Michael did with Satan in the book of Jude. These are heavy burdens because we are so afraid of being judged and condemned by the smug who are so sure that things like this don't happen or stopped at some time in the past. If you'd like to contact my email address I have a friend who is an author who is writing a book on this very subject of Spiritual Warfare. You can supply any contact info you'd like and I can get your situation before him. I'd like to do this quickly since what you are describing seems to be escalating.

Expertise

I strive to intelligently and respectfully discuss thoughtful questions pertaining to doctrinal issues within the Churches of Christ and feel I can contribute thoughtful answers in most cases. I feel myself to be especially adept when answering questions regarding the Gospel of Christ and baptism.
I always strive to be humble, realizing that there are some issues that are respectfully and honorably debatable. I realize that the Bible is perfect and able to provide any truth that the seeker of truth is after. At the same time I realize that though I am very conscientious about pointing people in the right direction, I am still a fallible human being and certainly capable of making mistakes. I will always give my opinion AS my opinion and strive not to state as fact something which cannot be supported by good logic or a good thorough study through the scriptures.

Experience

I am a minister within the Churches of Christ. I have been preaching for 14 years and have been on five separate mission trips to the Volta Region of Ghana, West Africa. I have preached the Gospel to literally thousands of people and it is my passion to do so.

Education/CredentialsI graduated with honors from Atkins High School in Atkins, AR in 1984. I went on to get my Bible degree at Harding University in Searcy, AR where I graduated Cum Laude.